The Best Whisky Tasting Sets

Father’s day is just around the corner, and this always begs a question for me. My father, although not greatly knowledgeable about whisky, does like to drink it fairly regularly. There will always be a bottle or two in the house, and they are usually ones that are tried and tested. He know which ones he likes, and doesn’t vary very much. I know that there must be other whiskies out there that he would like, but I don’t want to splash out on a whole bottle just in case he doesn’t. So for this Father’s day I have been looking at whisky gift sets starting from under £10 which he might find fun, and also find other whiskies he might like without having to buy full bottles. These are some of the more interesting and fun ones I have found, so hopefully they will be useful for you too.

Anthon Berg Single Malts Scotch Whisky Collection

My first selection, although not strictly pure whisky, will certainly let my father try a few flavours without him not liking them entirely. I know he loves chocolate, and chocolate is probably one of the best food pairings for whisky. So, a pack of whisky chocolates should go down a treat. And at under £10 it doesn’t break the bank. In this pack there are 5 whiskies including  sweet highland whiskies, classic Speyside whisky, coastal, island and even a smoky one from Islay. A great little gift box.

Size: 78gr
ABV: Unknown
Find it here: £6.84

Bushmills Irish Whiskey Gift Pack

This is a great way to start to get to know Irish whisky. A good value pack which packs a lot flavour. Bushmills is in Northern Ireland and if you’re ever wanting to visit a great distillery whilst seeing the Giants Causeway, then Bushmills is very close by. Very fruity, easy going whisky which typifies what Irish whisky is all about.

Size: 3 x 5cl
ABV: 40%
Find it here: £13.95

Isle of Jura Gift Pack

Hailing from one of my favourite distilleries is a nifty little gift pack from the Isle of Jura. The three whiskies are from their core range, so if your father really likes one of them, then maybe there’s another present for the future sorted. With lots of orchard fruit flavours and honey, with a little whiff of the sea showing the whiskies Island heritage. These are great value.

Size: 3 x 5cl
ABV: 40%
Find it here: £15.99

Teeling Trinity gift pack

Whisky doesn’t all have to be about scotch, and I have a few suggestions outside of Scotland. Teeling were the family to bring distilling back to the heart of Dublin and are producing some fabulous whiskey. With lots of fruity tropical flavours and a mix of grain, small batch and single malt, these Irish whiskies I think will be loved by any whisky drinker, and if they haven’t tried Irish whiskey before, they’ll be drinking more of it in the future after tasting this pack.

Size: 3 x 5cl
ABV: 46%
Find it here: £19.95

The Discovery collection by the Lost Distillery Company

This is a gift pack with a difference. Over time many Scotch whisky distilleries have closed, never to reopen. The whiskies they made were a different style to today’s whiskies. The Lost Distillery Company have tried to recreate the style of whisky some of these closed distilleries would have been producing. With some history about the distilleries, and three very tasty whiskies, this little gift pack is bit more interesting than the usual brands.

Size: 5 x 3cl
ABV: 43%
Find it here: £19.99

Chivas Regal Whisky Blending Kit

Here is a great gift for someone looking to experiment with the types of whisky they like. With a mix of six little bottles of whisky all with different flavour profiles, it allows the whisky lover to make their own special blend. The only fall back is that once they’ve found it, it will be the only one, and completely unreplaceable! But it will be fun. I am presuming however that as it’s a Chivas product, if they like the flavours they are creating, they will most likely find them in a Chivas blend in the shops!

Size: 6 x 5cl
ABV: 40%
Find it here: £24.99

Father’s Day Whisky Tasting Set

Here the chaps at Drinks by the Dram have put together a special tasting pack for Father’s Day. Just in case we’d all forgotten what we’re celebrating. With a mix of smoky and non-smoky scotch, smooth Irish and even a bourbon, this pack has all the major flavour bases covered, and I think it’s the best overall package for someone who has found they like whisky but have no idea where to turn next.

Size: 5 x 3cl
ABV: 44.9%
Find it here: £25.95

Nikka Whisky tasting Set

It would be remiss of me if I didn’t include a gift pack with Japanese Whisky. Nikka was founded in 1934 by Masataka Taketsuru, so they’ve been making whisky for rather a long time and have become very good at it. They have two distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagiko and are making all sorts of whisky with some of the best single malts as well as blended malts and grain whiskies. All of which you will find in this fabulous tasting set.

Size: 5 x 3cl
ABV: 43.6%
Find it here: £31.95

The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky Tasting Gift Pack 

It isn’t surprising one of the best-known distilleries in Speyside have put this gift pack together. However, there is something very special about this pack. The Balvenie 17 year old (The whisky which got Aidy hooked), has been discontinued for some time, and it had a huge following with good reason. But here is it, in this exceptional tasting pack from The Balvenie. A great gift for any whisky lover, but unmissable if your dad’s a Balvenie fan.

Size: 3 x 5cl
ABV: 43%
Find it here: £39.99

The Character of Islay Whisky Company Premium Whisky Tasting Set

This is a gift pack for the man who you know loves smoky whisky. Inside the pack will give the drinker an experience of tasting whiskies which are normally very expensive to buy as single bottles, with nearly all of them costing well over £100 and the most expensive nearly £400. Beyond that, there is even one in the pack which has been sold out as a single bottle for a while. A set for the Islay aficionado, this is something very special.

Size: 5 x 3cl
ABV: 49.1%
Find it here: £54.95

Looking for more whisky recommendations? Look no further than 12 of the best Irish whiskeys and The best whiskies to watch out for this year!

A Trilogy of Fine, Scotch Whisky Distilleries to Discover

This month, we celebrate the limited season launch of The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky on YouTube, brought to you in partnership with Whyte & Mackay. During the course of this series, we travelled all over Scotland, visiting friends at various distilleries from Jura and Islay to Inverness and Edinburgh. Three of these distilleries were the jewels in Whyte & Mackay’s portfolio, each offering fabulously delicious, unique styles of whisky that are sought-after all the world over. They are Jura Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Fettercairn Single Malt Scotch Whisky and, of course, The Dalmore. Here’s an introduction to each of these need-to-know houses with a selection of whiskies hand-picked by us that you simply must try.

Jura Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The Unique Island of Jura

Sixty miles away from the mainland of Scotland’s western coast, lies a remote island of rugged landscapes and wild waters. Just thirty miles long and seven miles wide, with the tempestuous Atlantic on one side and calmer bays full of seals and birds of prey on the other, it’s a harsh, cool climate, but one that breeds exceptional warmth within its own human community of approximately 212 people.

The Most Un-gettatable Place

The island of Jura has just one road, one pub and one whisky distillery. With the population of wild deer outnumbering humans twenty to one, it is also a particularly remote place; one that was once described by writer George Orwell as ‘the most un-gettatable place on earth’ - and where he chose to write his final book, 1984. As far as distillation goes, Jura is perhaps quite an unusual place to create whisky, but the locals believe the climate is ideal - and the distillery itself is at the very heart of this small island community. Founded originally in 1810, the distillery fell into ruin at the end of the 19th century but was entirely rebuilt and reopened in 1963 in order to boost the local economy and rebuild the community.

The Jura Whisky Style

The Jura style is smooth, bright and lively. Start with their signature series, which boasts nine super smooth malts finished in casks that are hand-selected from Europe and America. Trade up after that to their Rare and Limited series of aged whiskies and rare older vintages. There’s also an exciting selection of Travel Retail Exclusives, where the whiskies are finished with Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks. 

Watch us at Jura here

Three Jura Whiskies to Try

Jura 10 Year Old

The Jura 10 year old is now part of Jura’s core range and it’s a very popular whisky thanks to its subtle, fragrant smokiness combined with smooth, sweet fruit notes and hints of cocoa and vanilla. It’s matured in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels for 10 years and finished in rich, oloroso sherry casks from Spain.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £28.95 // US $39.99

Jura 18 Year Old

Wine meets whisky with the Jura 18. This rich and fruity whisky was aged for 18 years in ex-bourbon casks before being finished in red wine casks; Premier Grand Cru Classé Bordeaux barrels, no less! With a gentle smokiness on the nose, red cherry and berry fruit come through on the palate with a touch of orange peel citrus, dried fruit and warm cooking spice on the finish. Indulgent and delicious. 

Size: 70cl
ABV: 44%
Find here: UK £62.94 // US $119.99

Jura 21 Year old Tide

Released as part of the special ‘Aged Vintage’ series, Tide is a 21 year old single malt that has been double matured; first, in American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and then in hand-selected, virgin American white oak casks. Spicy and complex, Tide is all about gingerbread, pepper and warm spice, all brought into balance with notes of banana, biscuits and white chocolate. A higher ABV gives a greater whack of flavour on the palate and the finish.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 46.7%
Find here: £126.95

The Dalmore

Not far from Inverness, on the banks of the Cromarty Firth and overlooking the famous ‘Black Isle’, sits The Dalmore distillery. When descendants of the Clan Mackenzie became owners of The Dalmore distillery in 1867, they brought with them the right to use the two pointed Royal stag emblem, which the family had earned back in 1263 by saving the life of King Alexander the III when he was attacked by a stag! Since then, under the watchful eye of Whyte & Mackay, The Dalmore has become one of the most lauded and sought-after Scotch whisky brands globally.

Where Wood is King

The Dalmore style is founded on the perfection of cask maturation, where each expression sees this ageing in both American white oak ex-bourbon casks and their own, exclusive, aged Sherry casks, each hand-selected by The Dalmore’s Master Distiller, Richard Paterson.  Their core range consists of whiskies aged for 12, 15, 18 and 25 years and then, there is a growing number of luxury expressions with no age-statement, such as the King Alexander III and their Cigar Malt. We are also now seeing an impressive range of ultra luxury whiskies come from The Dalmore, such as the 1951 vintage ‘Sirius’ and other vintage whiskies aged in fine wine barrels.

The Dalmore Style

The Dalmore is famous for dark coppery, rich and chocolatey whiskies with notes of dried, tropical fruit, spice and vanilla thanks to its exceptional wood programme. A close, long term relationship with sherry house González Byass that began over 100 years ago has meant that The Dalmore has exclusive access to rare casks, which have previously held exceptional, old sherries such as a 30 year old Matusalem oloroso sherry. It is these sherry casks that add to the quintessential Dalmore style.

Watch us at The Dalmore here

Three Dalmore Whiskies to Try

The Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve

Deemed the ideal accompaniment to the finest cigars but equally delicious without, this is a single malt matured in American, white oak ex-bourbon casks, Matusalem oloroso sherry casks and wine barriques that previously held Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a rich, figgy and creamy malt that’s round and sweet with a hint of mint for freshness from the Cabernet and subtle notes of exotic spice from the sherry cask. The finish is exceptionally long. The current available release is the second iteration of the famed Cigar Malt that was brought back by popular demand!

Size: 70cl
ABV: 44%
Find here: UK £76.85 // US $169.99

The Dalmore 18 Year Old

This whisky is a perfect example of The Dalmore’s trademark, bold house style, with bombastic notes of chocolate orange, vanilla and fruitcake thanks to its maturation time in both bourbon and aged, Matusalem oloroso sherry casks.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 43%
Find here: UK £119.99 // US $199.99

The Dalmore King Alexander III

This ultra premium whisky is named in homage to the king who was saved from a stag by former owners of The Dalmore. It’s a very special whisky blend created by Master Distiller Richard Paterson using a selection of differently aged malts, which between them have been matured in six types of wood including French wine casks, madeira drums, sherry butts, marsala barrels, port pipes and bourbon barrels from Kentucky. As you would expect, this is an incredibly complex, textured whisky packed full of dried fruit and nut flavours, cocoa powder, vanilla pod and spicy oak, all with undertones of red fruit from the wine casks. Let it sit in your glass and experience different flavours in every sip. Delicious!

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £159.80 // US $279.99

 Fettercairn

The founder of Fettercairn, Sir Alexander Ramsay, was one of the first Scottish landowners to campaign and apply for an official licence for distillation amidst a sea of illicit distilling. He received the licence in 1824 and opened the Fettercairn distillery. Being no fool, Sir Ramsay employed some of the best illegal distillers in the land to ensure that his legal whiskies were the best around!

The Fettercairn distillery was opened in the small town of the same name that sits under the Grampian foothills in the Howe of Mearns in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It’s a quiet, rural place, where once there was a very special visit from Queen Victoria and her husband Albert, who had a secret stay at the Ramsay Arms just down the road from the distillery.

A Whisky Waterfall

At Fettercairn, there has always been a tradition for doing things a little differently and in the mid-1950s, the distillers here found an innovative way to create a purer expression of their delicious spirit. It was the invention of a cooling ring. They found that if they poured cold water down the side of the copper still, it increased condensation inside, allowing only the lightest vapours to rise and be collected. The result was that even today, they still have a copper tube wrapped around the top of the still to continually pour water down it, thus enhancing the unique, tropical character of the new make and giving Fettercairn its signature, tropical fruitiness.

Watch us at Fettercairn here

Three Fettercairn Whiskies to Try

Fettercairn 12 Year Old

The youngest in the newly revitalised core range from Fettercairn, the 12 Year Old whisky aims to show off the tropical fruit notes and floral character that the distillery is famous for. It was matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks for 12 years which gives it a gentle, ginger spice note and some savoury weight and toffee flavours on the finish. It’s a great place to start your exploration of Fettercairn whisky.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Find here: £37.94

Fettercairn 22 Year Old

This a is fantastic, mid-age statement whisky for Fettercairn, showcasing the distillery’s tropical fruit characteristics. Matured for 22 years in ex-bourbon casks, you can expect heaps of spiced orange peel, mango and dark cherry jam up front, with dried fruit flavours and savoury kick of liquorice and coffee bean on the finish. Smooth and lingering. 

Size: 70cl
ABV: 47%
Find here: £169.95

Fettercairn 28 Year Old

A stunning, splash-out whisky with serious age on it from Fettercairn’s ‘waterfall’ cooling ring still and matured in ex-bourbon casks. This whisky is a complex blend of the distillery’s characteristic bright tropical fruit character with more savoury notes of toffee, espresso, fruit and nut chocolate. On the finish, a slick of liquorice and ginger spices things up a bit. Exceptional whisky!

Size: 70cl
ABV: 47%
Find here: £500

You can watch us visit all these distilleries in The Three Drinkers do Scotch whisky live on Amazon Prime.

Want some more specific recommendations from these distilleries? Here are Colin’s picks for The Best of Whyte & Mackay: The Dalmore, Jura and Fettercairn.